1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a wireless charging system and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to a wireless charging system in which a transmitter configured of a plurality of transmitting coils uses a transmitting coil having the highest charging efficiency to be able to wirelessly transmit power and a method for controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, technologies associated with plug-in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles have been rapidly developed. As is known in the art, some or all of the driving force of such vehicles derives from electric energy. In order to charge the electric energy, various techniques have been developed, such as inserting a wired plug connected to a charger into an outlet, or wirelessly charging electric energy. With respect to the latter, there are currently various techniques which allow a vehicle to recognize a nearby wireless charger as the vehicle approaches, where the recognized wireless charger may be arranged at a charging pad in connection with magnetic resonance-based wireless charging, as an example.
To increase wireless charging efficiency, it is necessary to accurately arrange the positions of receiving coils, e.g., in a receiving pad, which are mounted in a vehicle and the positions of transmitting coils, e.g., in a transmitting pad, which are included in a charger. To this point, FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating power transmission efficiency depending on a distance between central points of the transmitting coils and the receiving coils. Referring to FIG. 1, it may be appreciated that as an interval ‘a’ between the central points of the transmitting coils Tx_coils and the receiving coils Rx_coils increases, the power transmission efficiency is accordingly reduced.